I have been traveling quite many years now and certain things are happening every time. I pack on the last evening and almost every time, I also prepare everything on the last evening (ironing etc.).

For this kind of short European trip, I of course need to pack my suit but then I also need some other important stuff such as my Airport Express, which will help to create WLAN in my hotel room if there is only a wired Internet – hopefully there is as today most of the hotels will only allow one computer and I need connection also for my phones. Need to get online you know.

Otherwise it follows the same usual path, check-in and print the boarding passes as soon as the check-in opens (try to catch boarding number 1 if possible; today I got 1 for the first flight and 2 for the second flight). Update relevant applications on the phone (make sure I have up to date itineraries with me and lounge locations etc.) and check that I have updated my music (and videos) for the iPod.

That’s it, pretty simple. Most of the stuff I take with me are always the same and some of those are already packed even between the trips. Just waiting for the next trip.

Sugar doesn’t always need to be boring.

Weather has warmed up again and some of the snow has melted. They are are forecasting more snow tomorrow but let’s see if it will come.

In this picture you can see the traditional Christmas decorations at the local airport. And some fog.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival. Bring the food and mooncakes, let the celebration start.

Sometimes it is a bit challenging to get online, especially when travelling. We have spare unlocked iPhones with us but we were missing some Chinese SIM cards. China Unicom was natural choice because they are having a 3G WCDMA network and also they will be iPhone operator so settings will be already in the phone.

We visited big China Unicom office where they were happy to sell a subscription but wanted a guarantee. Unfortunately the ATM outside of this office for some reason didn’t like our cards so we skipped the contract as it was lunch time anyway. After the lunch we visited the local HQ for China Unicom and learned that they are out of SIM cards. They told us to come back next day (Sunday).

The next morning they were still out of SIM cards but estimated that shipment would arrive on afternoon. In the afternoon they got two 3G SIM cards! And we got one of those.

And I think I figured out why it was a little bit difficult process, 3G isn’t yet launched (Yahoo news article about this) so no wonder they were running out of SIM cards and also process was a bit unknown for them.

But, in the end, it works well and I am back online. 谢谢大姐。

Beijing is still more or less the same as in May when I was here last time. One difference is the upcoming National Day, which has changed city a bit. In Chang’an Avenue there is a police patrol, a SWAT patrol, an army patrol or combination of those all in every corner. Our hotel has also increased their security level by having both metal detector and X-Ray machines for incoming visitors. This is nothing new, similar was already happening during the Olympics and lately I have got used to that in my recent trip in Jakarta.

Weather is hot, for me at least. Others don’t exactly share my opinion but shouldn’t it be that during your Summer vacation it is hot? So this certainly feels like good Summer vacation weather.

Well, we arrived to Beijing. All the luggage with us, no delays and no technical problems. Pretty boring and for most of the people preferred way of flying. Yeah, it was like that for Fangfang but not for me. I learned a new skills – do you know how to get your breakfast before everyone else and how to get some attention from half of the crew? Well … you faint. Apparently it isn’t that good idea to have very light breakfast, lunch and then only airline dinner. I guess I should start listening Fangfang who always reminds me about eating regurarly and enough. But, I got my breakfast before anyone else.

And Air China sent a plane with Olympic colors. The picture isn’t the best one as it is difficult to see the plane from the side.

Here we are travelling to China once again.

When we approached Helsinki-Vantaa airport, the sight was quite amazing. Everywhere you looked, there was fog on the ground. I tried to take a quick photo but we were already approaching and I had to take it quickly with my iPhone.